This application is directed to a valve apparatus, particularly, a valve apparatus including a deformable valve and valve seat within a fluid housing.
Valves are well known in the prior art and are used extensively to close or modify the passage through a pipe, outlet, inlet, or the like, to control the flow of liquids, gases, and other fluids therethrough. Numerous types of valves are available in varying sizes. Some valves are relatively simple while others are very complex. However, all valves have a valve element and a valve seat. The valve element may be a disk, ball, needle, or other configuration. The valve element moves toward and engages a valve seat for closing the fluid passage. To accomplish this, a valve must have a number of mechanical elements permitting movement of the valve element relative to the valve seat. For example, a globe valve includes a wheel, spindle, stuffing nut, disk, and valve seat. Rotation of the wheel advances the spindle through the stuffing nut and thereby advances the disk which is mounted to the end of the spindle toward the valve seat for engagement therewith. These types of valves are particularly useful for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid through a pipe.
Valves are used in many different environments and not all uses require high pressure valves. The present invention is directed to a valve for use in low pressure environments. For example, this valve may be used in a scientific laboratory in line with equipment requiring periodic samples of fluid from a fluid reservoir. The valve apparatus is simple to use requiring only slight axial movement of the fluid conduit to fully open and close the valve.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a valve apparatus for use in a low pressure environment incorporating a deformable valve element for engagement with a deformable valve seat.
It is another object of the invention to provide a valve apparatus enabling a user to fully open or fully close the valve apparatus in a single motion.